150 million! The NBA's top iron man has secured a big contract!

The Knicks have finalized an early extension with Bridges for 4 years and $150 million.

The new contract includes a player option for the 2029-30 season and trade compensation.

Bridges' current deal is a fully guaranteed 4-year contract worth $90 million that he signed with the Suns in 2021.

It does not include any player or team options, averaging $22.5 million per year, starting from the 22-23 season, with next season being the last year.

The new contract is $6 million less than a max deal, where the starting salary for a max extension is 140% of the previous year's salary, which would amount to $156 million over 4 years.

If he waits until his current contract expires to negotiate, during the 2026 offseason, he could be eligible to sign a 5-year deal worth around $290 million with the Knicks.

This is somewhat similar to the choice made by the big guy.

Last summer,Brunson signed a 4-year, $156.5 million contract, extending with the Knicks.

He could have signed a max deal worth up to $269 million this summer, but after weighing his options over the summer, he ultimately decided to take a pay cut, foregoing $113 million to help the team build a championship-contending roster.

How much one can earn in a plan is all just a dream.

What truly ends up in one's pocket is what counts. Thus, there’s no need to praise Bridges for his so-called "sacrificial spirit"; it simply shows he understands the value of contentment.

In the NBA, there are many examples of players suffering due to greed.

Bridges also understands what kind of player he is.

He can be seen as a versatile player who can do a bit of everything, but can he be the main guy?

His time with the Nets has proven that he cannot.

On the offensive end, his ability to create shots is limited; he is better suited as a third scoring option rather than a primary scorer. Expecting him to dominate with the ball is essentially unrealistic; he lacks that level of skill.

On the Knicks, the scoring responsibilities lie with the big guy and Towns.

On defense, Bridges is known for his standout capabilities.

In the Eastern Conference semifinals, he made crucial steals and blocks, limiting the Celtics' star duo to under 40% shooting, earning him the title of "nightmare for the Celtics' star duo" from the media.

Standing at 1.98 meters tall, with a 218 cm wingspan and exceptional anticipation, he excels in wing help defense, double-teaming, and timing for steals. While he may not be a lockdown defender, his switchability allows him to effectively cover positions 1-4, contributing more to team defense than individual statistics.

Thus, he is a valuable piece, and any strong team would appreciate a player with his style.

For Bridges, another label is "iron man."

In the 2024-25 season, he logged a total of 3036 minutes, becoming the first player in six years to surpass the 3000-minute mark.

Last season,from the regular season to the playoffs, he ran a total of 285.8 miles, the longest distance tracked since the NBA introduced speed and distance data in 2013.

In other words, he participated in 10.9 marathons in a single season.

Since entering the league in 2018, he has maintained a perfect attendance record for seven consecutive seasons, playing in 556 regular-season games without missing a single one, holding the longest active streak for consecutive games played.

The NBA regular season consists of 82 games, yet this guy played 83 games in the 22-23 season due to trade reasons.

Since joining the Knicks, he has continued to maintain stable appearances...

One can only describe him in four words: top-tier workhorse.

Just for his attendance, this contract is worth it.

Some players, despite looking impressive, may only play around 50 games in a season, yet still land big contracts...

For the Knicks, prior to extending with Big Joe, they were already aware that Giannis would not request a trade from the Bucks.

Therefore, making this choice is not surprising at all; the key point is: they see hope.

In the East, the main competitors are the Celtics, who are in a transition season; the Pacers' starting center has left, and the main playmaker is likely out for the season; the digital team is a struggling squad, and there are question marks over whether their two stars can play...

As for the rest, whether it’s the Cavaliers, Magic, Bucks, Pistons, or Hawks, the Knicks are confident they can win against them.

So, from a salary structure standpoint, the team has Brunson's contract for the next 3 years, Towns' contract for the next 2 years, Anunoby's contract for the next 3 years, and Hart's contract for the next 2 years.

In the 26-27 season, the starting five's salaries will exceed $190 million.

The core contracts are mostly synchronized, aiming for the next 2-3 years.

This offseason, the Knicks made adjustments including:

1. The head coach was changed from Thibodeau to Mike Brown.

The pressure on Brown is also significant; after all, if the team doesn’t make it to the finals, it’s considered a failure, especially since Thibodeau led the team to the Eastern Conference finals...

2. They focused on improving roster depth.

They signed Yabusele and Clarkson, which are good additions to the bench.

Thus, the Knicks' core lineup for next season will be: Big Guy, Mr. Towns, Bridges, Anunoby, Hart, Yabusele, Clarkson, Robinson, and McBride.

This nine-man rotation is more than enough to compete.